SAF didn't anticipate the higher ups would mess up so bad and basically leave him powerless.
Also in fairness, SAF + Gill's reluctance in the transfer market is actually what started our decline. Guys like Hazard, Ribery, Aguero, Toure - all turned down because they (and their agents) were deemed too expensive.
Obviously since then it was just one catastrophe after another. This Summer we seem to be back on track in terms of 'making sense' but the problems are so deep it's impossible to fix in 1, 2 or even 3 years. We've just spent £130M to sort the defense, yet we're still in a situation where we are one injury to Pogba away from fielding two of 4 CM's who are all bottom 8 PL standard. If and when we can fix that, we'll be at a point where our very best player in Pogba may want to leave which just causes another headache. If that's solved then we can look to the front line where our best scorer tends to grab just 10 league goals a season.
It's hard to envisage a period when we aren't a mess when you look at the squad and see Darmian, Young, Rojo, Pereira, Fred, Matic, Mata and Lingard who are all not only 'not good enough', but are genuine liabilities. Above that there is McTomminay, Martial, Rashford, Shaw, Smalling, James who are all ok but not gonna win you any prizes.
The one genuine positive is that we have Greenwood (17), Gomes (18) and Tuanzebe (20) who are exceptional talents and have the potential to be genuine world beaters. Unfortunately the latter two have a stockpile of dead wood that will likely play before them.
Ahh well bring on the season. Liverpool won't get anywhere near the insane fortune they had last season (lack of injuries, that crazy period of lucky decisions/OGs/fresh players with no WC) whilst City have strengthened with Rodrigo and potentially Cancelo. Their best player won't miss half the season this time either.
City will walk it.
Liverpool a distant second.
Spurs will be closer but should choke once it looks like they may do something.
Arsenal/Chelsea/United to battle it out here.
Wolves won't achieve anything but will spoil some parties of the teams above. Probably us again.
First two games are massive for us. Chelsea at home and then Wolves away. The former is basically 50-50 and the latter battered us twice at their stadium last season to end both our top 4 + FA Cup hopes.
(been a loooong time since i've been in here!)